Elizabethton, Tennessee – September 2 – September 8, 2020
We left North Carolina for a short stay in Tennessee at Watauga Dam Campground. This was a spectacular campground. The campground only had 29 sites, most are on the river, and are almost always booked far in advance. We called a year in advance to reserve our spot. The campground was located on the Watauga River in Eastern Tennessee close to Elizabethton (pronounced “e li za BETH ton). The section of the river was fed by two dams. The water into our section of the river was taken from the bottom of the lake (tail water) which made the river very cold. When the water flowed into the river when the dam operated, mist appeared on the top of the water and rolled across the river in waves. It was beautiful. The opposite bank of the river was bordered by a steep cliff that rose 100 feet or more. The river was stocked with fish, and we watched birds of prey swoop down looking for dinner. We saw a couple of eagles, herons, and a falcon.
Elizabethton is a pretty depressed area, but it had a grocery store, so we were happy. The skyline is dominated by the abandoned Bemberg Rayon Factory – which I am sure had ghosts because it looked haunted. About 10 miles away was Johnson City, Tennessee. This area was being revitalized and we visited several times. We met an old friend for lunch and beers at Yee-Haw Brewing, and ate at White Duck Taco.
The Watauga Dam park was close to the AT and we hiked part of the trail over the Watauga Dam. We also got our bikes out and rode the Tweetsie Trail which was a 10 mile graveled trail between Johnson City and Elizabethton. We only stayed here a week and were able to find plenty to do to keep us occupied.
“Down by the River” by Neil Young